Zurich: The International Federation for Football Associations (FIFA) has said that Argentine Lionel Messi and French Kylian Mbappe top the list of nominees for the Best Player Award at the "The Best FIFA Football Awards" slated for February 27, 2023.
In a report issued on Sunday, FIFA pointed out that the results of the World Cup Qatar 2022 might impact some of the nominees who contributed to their teams results.
"Players and coaches have made their presence known at this World Cup," FIFA said, adding that football's biggest tournament might have impacted on its most prestigious awards.
"Surely it is Messi and Mbappe who have most enhanced their reputation thanks to the World Cup. The final was not just Argentina versus France, but Messi versus Mbappe - and both rose spectacularly to the occasion. It would be a bold prediction to say neither will win the award,"' the report said.
The midfielder not only added a fifth Champions League and third La Liga title to his honors list this year, but also takes home a bronze medal after another series of influential performances on the world stage, the report said about Luka Modric.
On The Best FIFA Men's Coach award, FIFA said, "Lionel Scaloni and the formation of his World Cup-winning Scaloneta' have surely propelled the Argentinian into contention just as Didier Deschamps managed in 2018 while Walid Regragui's accomplishments with Morocco should not go unmentioned." "Carlo Ancelotti, fresh off the back of an indomitable year with Real Madrid, is perhaps the leading club candidate standing in their way."
With regard to "The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper" the FIFA report said, "Dominik Livakovic and Emiliano Martinez had the tournament of their lives" while mentioning other goalkeepers like Belgium's Thibaut Courtois (UEFA Champions League winner award winner in 2018 FA Cup Winner), Brazil's Alisson Baker (Champions League and Premier League runner-up winner in 2019), Germany's Manuel Neuer, who was crowned The Best in 2020 and Frnac's Hugo Lloris.
Source: QNA
